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R. B. MOTHERWBLL.

LUBRIGATOR.

No. 331,809. Patented Dec. 8, 1885.

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' NITED 'STATES' Partnr Ottieni ROBERT BURANS MOTHERVVELL, OF LOGAN, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE MOTHERWELL IRON AND STEEL COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

LUBulcAToR..

SPECIFICATIONformng part of Letters Patent No. 331.809, dated December 8, 1885.

Application filed October 14, 1885. Serial No. 179,908. (No model.)

.To all whom it may concern,.-

Be it known that I, ROBERT B. MOTHER- WELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Logan, in the county ofHoclring and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lubricators; and I do de clare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and igures of referencemarked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in lubricators of that class adapted to be applied to loose pulleys, idlers, and to such pulleys or hubs as revolve about aiixed shaft or axle, and it is particularly designed to be applied to wheels which are made of cast metal.

Heretofore hubs have been made of cast metal having an annular oil-chamber surrounding the inner bearing portion, said chamber being subdivided by radial partitions, which brace and strengthen the walls forming the main chamber. Communication is afforded between the here of the hub and each subdivision of the main chamber by ducts formed in the inner bearing portion at a point midway between the radial partitions. In practice it has been found that pulleys or wheels having such hubs will not work efficiently on a shaft or axle set at an incline, or even horizontally, without a copious supply of oil in the chamber, for the following reasons: First, the inner wall or bearing portion of each subdivision of the annular or main oil-reservoir is formed on the arc of a circle, and the mouth of the duct, being located midway the extremities of the arc on the convex side, occupies the highest possible position relatively to the subdivision. Thus the axle or shaft, if it occupied a horizontal position,would fail to be lubricated even with a given quantity of oil in the chamber. Second, the radial partitions being of uniform thickness throughout their length and Vthe main reservoir being open at one end, if the shaft or axle should be inclined to cause the mouth of the oil-reservoir to become lower than the base, the oil would pass from the various compartments before they would reach their highest point. Thus, again, the shaft or axle would fail to be lubricated, although the reservoir contains a quantity of lubricant.

The object of my invention is to obviate these difficulties and use the lubricant nearly or entirely up. thus accomplishing with a reduced chamber and supply of oil what heretofore was impracticable.

It consists in forming the ducts through the inner wall or bearing ci t-he hub near the radial partitions so they will occupy relatively the lowest possible position; also, in providing the radial partitions at their free ends with lateral fianges extending on either side and at right angles thereto, inclosing asinall space, which will catch and carryasufcient quantityof the lubricant to the top of the shaft or axle, no matter how great the incline of the latter.

In the drawings, Figure l represents aportion of a shaft or axle provided with a. pulley or wheel having its hub constructed according to my invention, the hub being shown in section and the rim of the pulley being broken away. Fig. 2 is an end View of the same, partly in section.

In the drawings my improvement is shown as applied to the end of ashaft oraxle, A,hav ing a shoulder, a, formed near its end.

The hub of the pulley consists of two parts, the hub proper, B, and the cap C. Hub Bis centrally bored to tit on the shaft, and has an inner and outer wall, D E, forming an annular chamber between them. These walls are united,strengthened,and braced by radial partitions F, which subdivide the chamber into compartments G. Duets g, formed through the inner wall near the partitions and on either side thereof, communicate with the bore of the hub. The ducts in each compartment are in the same plane and alternate with the ducts of the adjacent compartments, so that in a revolution of the hub every part of the shaft in contact therewith will be lubricated. Flangesf extend on either side of and at right angles to the radial partitions, and are preferably formed as a head or finish to their free ends. Gap C is dome-shaped, and is slightly larger in diameter than the outer wall of the hub, and is grooved to form a seat forthe edge of said wall. This cap is secured to the hub by bolts H, passing through coincident lugs 71.-,

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cast with the parts. The apex of the dome of the cap is removed to form an opening for the admission of a lubricant to the interior or reservoir of the hub. This opening is automatically closed by a spring-actuated check-valve, J. The hub is held in place between the shoulder a and pin 7c, collars Kbeinginterposed b etween the pin and the adjacent end of the hub to take the wear.

From the foregoing the operation of the device is apparent.

Having thus described my invention,what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1S-

A' self-lubricating pulley or wheel provided Y In testimony whereof I ailx my signature in 2 5 presence of two witnesses.

ROBERT BURANS MOTHERWELL.

Witnesses:

E. B. COMLY, S. H. BRIGHT. 

